Steam manifold and feed water heater for condensers

ABSTRACT

A COMBINED STEAM MANIFOLD AND FEED WATER HEATER APPARATUS POSITIONED IN THE STEAM DOME OF A CONDENSER. THE MANIFOLD ARRANGEMENT IS POSITIONED TO RECEIVE STEAM FROM THE TURBINE AND DIRECT IT TO FEED WATER HEATERS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE CONDENSER. A DIRECT CONTACT FEED WATER HEATER RECEIVES STEAM DIRECTLY FROM THE TURBINE AND WATER TO BE HEATED FROM A SOURCE OUTSIDE THE CONDENSER. THE STEAM HEATS THE WATER AND THE HEATED WATER IS DISCHARGED THROUGH THE STEAM DOME TO A CONSUMER LOCATED OUTSIDE THE CONDENSER. THE APPARATUS IS POSITIONED TO PERMIT STEAM TO BE CONDENSED TO PASS THROUGH THE STEAM DOME TO THE CONDENSER.

R. J. STOKER STEAM MANIFOLD AND FEED WATER HEATER FOR CONDENSERS Filed Dec. 22, 1969 1 ,24 x f; l l i; 22 43 23 l5 w 3 4| 46 '46 v J47 u f 3| 4o INVENTOR 2 48 R08ERT .1. 570mm 00000 E'- .00000 r 2 3 a 2% ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,615,076 STEAM MANIFOLD AND FEED WATER HEATER FOR CONDENSERS Robert J. Stoker, Phillipsburg, N.J., assignor to Ingersoll- Rand Company, New York, N.Y. Filed Dec. 22, 1969, Ser. No. 886,865 Int. Cl. B01f 3/04 US. Cl. 261-113 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined steam manifold and feed water heater apparatus positioned in the steam dome of a condenser. The manifold arrangement is positioned to receive steam from the turbine and direct it to feed water heaters located outside the condenser. A direct contact feed water heater receives steam directly from the turbine and water to be heated from a source outside the condenser. The steam heats the water and the heated water is discharged through the steam dome to a consumer located outside the condenser. The apparatus is positioned to permit steam to be condensed to pass through the steam dome to the condenser.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to steam condensers and in particular to a steam manifold apparatus located within the steam dome of a surface condenser. The steam manifold apparatus includes a direct contact feed water heater positioned in the steam dome.

Prior to the present invention it has been known to provide a take off arrangement in the condenser steam dome for removing some of the steam exhausted from the turbine and supplying it to various feed water heaters, deaerators and the like located at some point remote from the condenser. One prior arrangement for removing steam from the condenser steam dome is shown in my prior US. Pat. No. 3,406,749. In such arrangement I provided a manifold which is designed to provide an uncluttered manifold system Within the steam dome which does not interfere with the flow of steam into the condenser. It has been known to provide deaeration devices within the condenser steam dome. One such device is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,663,547 wherein water from various feed water heaters is supplied to the condenser steam dome and non-condensables are removed from such water. The deaeration water is returned to the condenser hotwell for use by boilers or the like. Such prior arrangement does not, however, provide a suitable manifolding arrangement for conducting additional steam from the steam dome to deaeration and feed water heaters located outside the condenser.

By locating a feed water heater in the condenser steam dome, a great deal of external and internal piping can be eliminated. Heat losses are minimized and a more efiicient feed water heater can be provided.

SUMMARY It is therefore the principle object of this invention to provide a novel steam manifolding apparatus that can be located within the steam dome for etficient food water heating.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a steam manifold apparatus which includes a feed water heater which can be located in the steam dome of a condenser.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a steam manifolding apparatus which permits the unobstructed flow of steam through the steam dome into the condenser.

3,615,076 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 In general, the foregoing and other objects will be carried out by providing in combination a steam condenser, a steam dome mounted on said steam condenser including a plurality of sidewalls defining a cavity having an inlet for steam to be condensed and an outlet for dis charging steam into the condenser and steam manifold apparatus mounted Within said steam dome; said steam manifold comprising a plurality of first bafile element mounted within said cavity and defining a compartment and positioned in said cavity to define a steam flow passage external to said compartment; second baffie means dividing said compartment into a plurality of chambers; water heater means mounted in at least one of said chambers; first conduit means for conducting water to be heated from a source outside the condenser into said water heater means; second conduit means for conducting steam for heating said water into said water heater means; third conduit means for conducting heated water from said water heater means out of the condenser; inlet passage means for conducting steam into each of the remaining chambers; and outlet passage means connected to each of the remaining chambers and adapted to receive steam therefrom and conduct such steam out of the steam dome.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in connection with the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the invention as it is used in connection with a steam surface condenser;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the steam dome of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing there is shown in FIG. 1 a portion of a surface condenser generally indicated at 1. The condenser includes a conventional outer shell 2 and conventional tube bundles shown at 3 which includes tubes 4 for carrying cool water. A steam dome generally indicated at 10 is mounted in a conventional manner on the top of the condenser 1. The steam dome 10 includes a plurality of sidewalls 11 which define a cavity 12, an inlet 13 for receiving steam from the turbine (not shown) and an outlet 14 for discharging steam to be condensed to the condenser 1.

Steam manifold apparatus generally indicated at 20 is mounted within the steam dome 10 in any suitable manner such as by braces 21. The manifold apparatus is positioned to define a steam flow passage 15 around the periphery of manifold to permit steam from the turbine to flow through the cavity 12 to the tube bundles 3 to be condensed. The turbine is conventionally provided with pairs of extraction points for steam which may be conducted to deaerating apparatus, feed water heaters and the like. The manifold apparatus of the present invention is provided with pairs of inlet conduits 22, 23, 24 and 25 which are connected to these extraction points for supplying steam from the turbine to the manifold apparatus.

The manifold apparatus 20 includes a plurality of first bafile elements or plates which define a compartment 31. Second baflle means divide the compartment 31 into a plurality of chambers. These baffie elements include a generally horizontal plate member 32 which divides the compartment 31 into upper and lower sections. The upper section is divided by baflle plates 33, 34, 35 and 36 into a pair of manifold chambers 37 and 38. The particular arrangement of these bafile elements will depend upon the type of turbine used and the purpose for which the steam is to be used and the number of extraction points and chambers used. A pair of inlets will be connected to each of the chambers. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet connections 24 conduct steam into the chamber 37 and the inlet connections 25 conduct steam into the chamber 38.

Each of the chambers 37 and 38 is provided with an outlet connection 50 and 51, respectively, for conducting steam from such chamber to a point located outside the condenser. The steam is used for heating feed water or deaeration.

A direct contact water heater means generally indicated at 40 is mounted within the lower section of the compartment. The water heater means 40 has been shown in the form of a plurality of superimposed trough-like shower trays 41 and 42 which are conventional in the art and are provided with a plurality of holes to permit water to gravitate through the heater 40. A supply pipe 43 provides communication between a source of water to be heated located outside the condenser and the water heater means 40. The pipe 43 communicates With a plenum 44 in upper portion of the heater 40. The plenum is provided with a tray 45 having a plurality of holes therein to permit proper distribution of the water throughout the heater. Steam is supplied from the turbine through extraction points 22 and 23 into the heater means through passages 46 to an opening 47 near the bottom of the heater 40. A hot water take off pipe 48 is connected to the bottom of the heater means 40 for supplying heated water to the boiler or other consuming device.

The operation of the heater means 40 is conventional. Water to be heated is supplied to the plenum 44 and gravitates through the openings in the plate 45 and through the trays 42 and 41. Steam supplied through the opening 47 rises through the heater contacting the falling water and is condensed and heats the water supplied to the heater. A suitable exhaust (not shown) for non-condensable matter may be provided. The heater Water collects at the bottom of the heater and is drained through the pipe 48.

Although the subject invention has been shown with manifold chambers located above the heater means 40 they may be located along side the heater means if this is more convenient or the type of turbine used with the condenser is more conducive to such location. The arrangement shown permits easy take 01f of steam from the turbine and does not interfere with the flow of steam through the steam dome to the condenser. By positioning a feed water heater within the steam dome, the heater is more efiicient because there is very little heat loss in the steam which often accompanies remote locations of feed water heaters. In addition such locations reduces the necessity of employing a large number of external pipes which carry steam.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a steam condenser, a steam dome mounted on said steam condenser including a plurality of sidewalls defining a cavity having an inlet for steam to be condensed and an outlet for discharging steam into the condenser and steam manifold apparatus mounted within said steam dome; said steam manifold comprising:

a plurality of first baffie elements mounted within said cavity and defining a compartment and positioned in said cavity to define a steam flow passage external to said compartment;

second bafile means dividing said compartment into a plurality of chambers;

water heater means mounted in at least one of said chambers;

first conduit means for conducting water to be heated from a source outside the condenser into said water heater means;

second conduit means for conducting steam for heating said water into said water heater means;

third conduit means for conducting heated water from said water heater means out of the condenser;

inlet passage means for conducting steam into each of the remaining chambers; and

outlet passage means connected to each of the remaining chambers and adapted to receive steam therefrom and conduct such steam out of the steam dome.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water heater means includes a plurality of superimposed trough-like shower trays mounted within one of said chambers below the point said first conduit means communicates with said water heater means and above the point said second conduit means communicates with said water heater means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said third conduit means communicates with said water heater means at a point below said shower trays.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the chamber in which said water heater means is mounted is positioned below the remainder of said chambers.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said first bafile means is spaced from the sidewalls of said steam dome so that the steam flow passage through said cavity surrounds said steam manifold apparatus.

6. For use in combination with a condenser steam dome having a plurality of sidewalls defining an inlet for steam to be condensed and an outlet for discharging steam to a condenser, steam manifold apparatus comprising:

a plurality of walls adapted to be mounted in a steam dome and defining a substantially closed compartment;

plate means mounted within said compartment dividing said compartment into first and second sections;

a plurality of steam inlet means each connected to one of said sections;

feed water heater means mounted in one of said sections;

first conduit means for conducting water to be heated into said feed water heater means;

second conduit means for conducting heated water out of said feed water heater means; and

means for conducting steam out of the other of said sections and away from the steam dome.

7. The steam manifold apparatus of claim 6 further comprising baffle means mounted in said other of said sections for dividing said other of said sections into at least two chambers; each of said chambers having at least one steam inlet connected thereto and said means for conducting steam out of the other of said sections includes a conduit connected to each of said chambers.

8. The steam manifold of claim 7 wherein said water heater means includes a plurality of spaced apart, superimposed trough-like trays positioned below the point said first conduit means communicates with said water heater means.

9. The steam manifold of claim 8 wherein said second conduit means is connected to said feed water heater means at a point below said trays.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,222 6/1951 Parkinson 261-113 2,663,547 12/1953 Evans, Jr. et al -112 2,812,929 7/1955 Wilson 261-113 2,956,784 10/1960 Parkinson 261-113 3,406,749 10/ 1968 Stoker 162-110 TIM R. MILES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

